In his directorial debut Telugu director Ram Jagadeesh shows tremendous empathy for the downtrodden. It is a risky thing to do, for what he defends here is a watchman’s son’s right to love an empowered girl, although he stands accused of raping a minor.

No self-respecting lawyer would touch a Pocso case, especially one as watertight as this. This is where cinema parts ways with reality. And what sweet sorrow this parting is! Jagadeesh’s writing is astute and uncompromising. He is not afraid to plough into forbidden territory. The screenplay digs its claws into the defective defunct clauses in our judicial system, which the powerful and privileged use to their advantage or to teach their weak enemies a lesson.

The film moves on familiar but firm ground, weaving into the rugged structure with an enticing concentration. Within no time, we are cheering for the underdog.., actually two...